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Flexitome Digital Books

Flexitome is a unique educational platform incorporating two digital publishing systems, ensuring that students in any situation, worldwide, will have access to feature-rich digital books. Watch the video and find out more.

Flexitome App

Interactive eBooks may be accessed on mobile devices using our reader app. Download the app and gain access to all your rented or purchased books. When a book is downloaded to a device, it can be used offline, with all features intact (audio, video, and so on). This sample video shows access using a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 phone.

Sign up & Navigation

For help in setting up a (free) Flexitome account, you can refer to this PDF.

Flexitome is our bookstore/platform, which houses your books, and keeps everything together for you (keycodes, access to download versions, if applicable, and so on). If you are ever stuck and unsure where to go, click the Flexitome logo at the top-left of the page, and it will bring you back to the Index page (if not logged in), or take you back to My Bookshelf (if logged in).

All books you have either rented or purchased will be shown on My Bookshelf, when you are logged in.

Interactive eBooks will show a READ button and Track Activity button. The READ button takes you into your book. Track Activity will show some simple analytics with regards to that book (what pages you have viewed, videos watched and so on).

Enhanced eBooks will also show a READ button, but has a View Attachments button, which will take you to the product page of that book. From this page, you can download the desktop or mobile (Android) version of the book, to use offline. These versions will require a keycode, which is also displayed (only for paid products, as a keycode is NOT required for free books). See the Enhanced eBooks sections below for more information about activating your book. Of course, the READ button works the same as that for Interactive eBooks, and immediately takes you into the book. There is no necessity for you to download the book to your device. You can access all books through your Flexitome account, and read from any device. However, should you want access while offline, then the should download that book and install/activate it as indicated below.

Book Formats

We need to attend to the needs of all students (or users) in all countries. To that end, it is important to be able to deliver the features that each book may have. We believe that our Interactive eBooks compete favourably with anything out there, and is superior to most, if not all. But the game-changer is the addition of the Enhanced eBooks format. This gives us the ability to offer a solution for ALL possible scenarios. Learn more below (Enhanced eBooks section).

Very basically, both formats allow for the use of interactive features which include audio, video, testing and so on. These are just the most basic features which are required if working with educational textbooks, readers and so on. However, there is no single format that exists today which can cover ALL features, in ALL instances. Our Interactive eBooks have great comment tools, an advanced search, a pen tool for writing on the page and so on. But there is no desktop version, and if you need a textbook which can return results into an LMS (yours or ours!), then this falls a little short. This is where our Enhanced eBook picks up the slack by providing a desktop version (Win/Mac), scoring of on-the-page quizzes and listening exercises, on-page in-context video, and much more. The results from scored exercises can be tracked back to an LMS/LRS, even when NOT built into that platform (a very significant piece). But, this format does not have some features like a pen tool or live text, simply because a greater importance is attached to other needs. It also requires a keycode to activate the book, which requires a little more from teachers and students.

So, which one to choose? Here is how we tend to choose the best tool for the job. If your needs are few, a video hovering over the page is sufficient, you want to make notes in the book (written on the page) and you don't have anything to score, it is most likely this will be an Interactive eBook. But if your needs are tougher, such that you have a lot of exercises on the page and you would like those to be interactive with the students, plus you would like to retrieve those scores, then an Enhanced eBook makes much better sense. Also, for those in "unreliable internet connectivity" areas, the Enhanced eBook is a "true offline" option. Delivery of this book can be as offline as you want it to be. That is, if you want to use physical media (CD, DVD, Flash Drive, or other), that is fine. In remote areas, this might make the most sense, especially when considering the size and virtual "weight" of a book containing audio and video (ie. lots of MBs).

Don't be fooled by claims of online/offline access. For the majority of publishing platforms, offline means to get online first, download the book, then take it offline. We do that with our Interactive eBooks, as that is the easier way of doing things. But, that's not going to help in Kenya. This is another reason to have a second platform, and where an Enhanced eBook becomes a necessity.

Interactive eBooks

This live-text format allows for individual words to be manipulated, which is great for search, highlighting words, and such. Teacher resource and methodology books are best done in this format, because these features are of primary importance for research, note-taking and so on. These features can be important for study as well, but not in all cases.

These books are the most intuitive and easiest-to-use as there is no keycode to have to worry about. They are available both online and offline, however the offline portion of this requires the user to get online first, to go offline. There is a mobile app which allows your books to be downloaded onto that device, and the user is afforded full usage (audio, video, etc...) while offline. For more Mobile news, refer to that section below.

Enhanced eBooks

An Enhanced eBook differentiates itself by offering more on-page interactivity, which is great for in-context video (the video plays right next to the text that either supports the video, or the video provides a clearer understanding of), plus the ability to make the page come alive. If there are grammar exercises on the page, these can now be filled in and scored, with results tracked back to the instructor. A clozed exercise for listening? This is your best option. For authors and publishers looking to retain more control over content, this is a fixed-format platform, eliminating copy/paste of text.

Activation of all Enhanced eBooks is necessary to ensure that it has been purchased. However, this only refers to the books that have been downloaded to your device. NO activation is required for the online, Flexitome version. If you do need to activate an offline book, there will be 4 items needed: First name... Last name... email address... keycode

Your name will become bound to the book. The email address is NEVER used for any purpose other than to uniquely identify the user (no two people in the world have the same email address, but there may be many people with the same name). The keycode will be given to you after you buy the book (could be in an email message, or on a card). This is a unique code, only for you. This keycode is also present on My Bookshelf, with the Enhanced eBook information. You can copy/paste that keycode for activation.

Important . It is important that you use the same information when activating a Win/Mac book (kept on your PC) or one on your tablet or phone (Android). The names and email must line up with the keycode. Also note that most of the publishers we work with allow multiple activations, on a few devices. This is to allow you to use the book as you wish... on your computer, AND streaming on your phone, AND on your Android device. You are not tied to one device (in the majority of cases). Refer to the device-specific sections below for installation and activation onto your device of choice. There is no iOS option available at this time.

Using an Enhanced eBook on a Mac

After purchasing your book, you will be given a link to download it to your device (Mac PC). Download the ZIP file, and remember where you have put it.

1. For first use ONLY, double-click FlexiReaderMac.zip to reveal FlexiReaderMac.

As the authors and publishers of this book need to ensure that you have purchased the book, you will need to activate it to gain full access. Activation is one time only. You will need an internet connection for activation, but after that, you can use the book without a connection.

Activating: Except in specific cases (ie. IP Range subscription), the end user will be provided a keycode, which is the key towards accessing the purchased book. Unless specifically limited by the publisher, this keycode will allow access to the WebApp (cloud) version, plus have access to local versions. This allows you to download the book to your Win PC, Mac, Android device (tablet, phone) and Windows tablet. The same book, with the same features, on the device(s) of your choice.

To Activate, click the button below (Activating a Local book) and follow the instructions. You may start/stop the video along the way, to work at your own pace. Some of the wording might be sllightly different (keycode, activation code or transaction ID all mean the same thing), but the procedure will be the same. Activation is a one-time process, and then the book is available to use as you wish, even without an internet connection. If your computer or browser does not allow you to view the video (because it is a Flash application), you can check out the YouTube channel above, to see the same video, in MP4).

Using an Enhanced eBook on a Windows PC

After purchasing your book, you will be given a link to download it to your device (Windows PC or tablet). Download the ZIP file, and remember where you have put it.

1. For first use only, extract the contents of the ZIP file to a folder (know where that folder is... you can set the location you prefer)

2. From then on, run FlexiReader (exe) to play the book.

3. You can set an icon or add to your desktop or Start menu, as you would for any other file.

Note: If you were given a book as an EXE file, this has an installation routine as part of the book. Simply double-click that file and follow the prompts. You will be asked where to install the book, and be given a choice of adding a desktop icon. Not all books are delivered this way as internet providers and anti-virus software sometimes disallow legitimate EXE files, in case they contain viruses, worms or malware. All files are created in-house, and we can assure you that they would never contain anything disruptive to your PC.

As the authors and publishers of this book need to ensure that you have purchased the book, you will need to activate it to gain full access. Activation is one time only. You will need an internet connection for activation, but after that, you can use the book without a connection.

Activating: Except in specific cases (ie. IP Range subscription), the end user will be provided a keycode, which is the key towards accessing the purchased book. Unless specifically limited by the publisher, this keycode will allow access to the WebApp (cloud) version, plus have access to local versions. This allows you to download the book to your Win PC, Mac, Android device (tablet, phone) and Windows tablet. The same book, with the same features, on the device(s) of your choice.

To Activate, click on the button above (Activating a Local book) and follow the instructions. You may start/stop the video along the way, to work at your own pace. Some of the wording might be sllightly different (keycode, activation code or transaction ID all mean the same thing), but the procedure will be the same. Activation is a one-time process, and then the book is available to use as you wish, even without an internet connection.

Using an Enhanced eBook on an Android device

After purchasing your book, you will be given a link to download it to your device (tablet or phone). This will deliver an APK file to your device.

1. Installation will be the same as for any app you may get from the Play Store

2. Download the APK file and choose Install, then follow the prompts.

3. If there is an issue, it may be because of your device settings. Go to Settings, and possibly Security. Then Allow from Unknown Sources.

Different devices may have different settings or headings. This is a safe process, and just allows you to install something of your choice, outside of a Play Store purchase.
Activation is one time only. You will need an internet connection for activation, but after that, you can use the book without a connection. Remember to use the same information used for other activations.

Mobile

We now offer full functionality on both iOS and Android mobile devices. There are links to the Google Play Store, and the iStore at the bottom of this page. Download the FlexiRead mobile app, and you will be able to carry your books wherever you go.

Please note that to log in, you will use the email address associated with your account as both the username and password.

When logged in, you will see your book covers on your bookshelf. The books are NOT downloaded to your device, until you choose to do so. If you wish to have the book available offline, tap the book cover and download the book to that device. This will download the entire book, with all media assets, allowing you to use it offline. If you wish to remove the book from your device, to free up valuable space on that device, do so knowing that you will NOT affect your Flexitome account, and that the book can be downloaded to this device again, or to another device. It will always be your choice. As long as you have a valid account, you can enjoy your books as you wish. If renting books, access is only permitted during the rental period.

LMS

We offer a full LMS as an option, based on the needs of our clients. However, as with all other offerings from Piron Pub (Flexitome), an LMS is not necessarily required. That is, the books can be stand-alone, a part of a Class Set, part of your LMS, or almost any other way you need them to be. Easy would be to create our LMS, build the books within this system, then force you to purchase the entire bundle. But we have never been about the easy solution. Providing flexibility is much more important.

There are many LMSs out there, and they all perform the same, basic functions. Class management, tabulating and reporting of scores, easy messaging between teacher and student, social networking among students and so on. As long as your internet connection is strong, reliable and always on, then you are fine. But that doesn't satisfy our needs, nor those of our clientele. So, what's different?

Our LMS is available both online and offline! If the internet goes down? Teaching and learning still happens. Now that is flexibility!

Please note that the functionality of the LMS is best utilized with our Enhanced eBooks, which can send results even when not built into the LMS. This is an extremely significant point, which warrants repeating. Even when a book is NOT build within the LMS, we can score results into that LMS. Carefully consider this and think about how this can really shape things.

Using the Raspberry Pi

Tech Issues

According sites like Digital Trends ( http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/kindle-fire-hd-problems/18/ ), "A lot of Kindle Fire HDX owners have run into issues with the pre-installed Silk browser. Here's an Amazon forum post about it. It is criticized for being slow and for an unfortunate tendency to freeze and crash a lot." One of the suggestions given is to "try an alternative browser like Maxthon Mobile or Dolphin Browser."

This is an important issue for us, so we will continue looking for a solution to this problem. The most frequently cited option is to use an HTML5 browser (like Chrome), although we have yet to confirm that this will solve the issue.

We are also working on a reader app (iOS and Android) and preliminary tests suggest that when accessed through the app, the problems associated with the browser are negated. The apps are currently under development. Check the Mobile section often, for more info.

For any queries, email us at: info@pironcorp.com
All content is protected (copyright Piron Pub, or the individual publishers named), & subject to our EULA.